I'd like to think my posts on a variety of topics on this BBS have proved as much.

Tim, I don't think you're a true troll, but - honestly, really, meaning no offense - it would be awfully easy to mistake this thread, the $500 wine thread and some of the cork-debate threads as, er, an emerging pattern of contentiousness.

Robin,

I understand, but consider this:

Without some type of contention in a thread, there would be no discussion. True?

Besides, it has been my experience, people will often find what they are looking for....whether it's there or not.

Make sense?

Again, if I have caused undue concern, I apologize.

Last edited by TimMc on Sat Aug 05, 2006 1:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Dale Williams wrote:John & Robin, thanks for "defense," but I find myself less offended than bemused.

Tim, I'm sorry you found my post presumptious, but on a discussion group I wasn't aware that there was a particular number of restaurants one must visit before offering an observation. I posited some opinions (and my reasons for making them), and by doing so opened up the subjects for discussion. I certainly welcome substantive disagreement with any post I put up here or WLDG, that's why they're called discussion boards. I often disagree with others' opinions of wines, but post why, not call into question their ability to comment. Maybe my title was slightly overreaching, but before you had ever commented I had clarified that with my answer to Jenise et al.

Should your poll on wine been limited to those who have tasted say 25 $250+ wines? I'm guessing (just guessing, no empirical evidence) I've experienced more California restaurants than most of those voting in that poll have experienced ultra-expensive wines. But frankly I still value the opinion of those who say "I've never tasted a $250 wine, but to me it could never be worth it." It's a valid viewpoint.

In 4 paragraphs of opinion on food in the original post I managed to be pretty clear (I thought) that I was offering my impressions:A couple thoughts, my experiences, I’m willing to keep experimenting, seems , likely to be better than any Viet food I’ve had in NY, better food for my tastes, my summer experiences, Every time I eat in an upscale place in Laguna, I think

Sounds like opinions to me.

Oh, and because I got sidetracked by the lunch in Laguna, I forgot one of the three points I intended to make originally (besides CA having better Vietnamese and Mexican food in my limited experience than NY):Fast food. On the old FLDG there was a discussion of burger joints a couple years back. Some vocal proponents of In'n'Out made me want to try. Meanwhile, a few weeks back a NYT reporter did a cross-country burger pilgramage. In'n'Out did not make her list, she found it too "salady." I had a double-double somewhere between Sacramento and Los Gatos, and I disagree with her. I felt that the In'n'Out was probably the best chain burger I had ever had. I was not in the least enamored of their fries, however (tasted like they had been sitting). Definitely good for road food (is In'n'Out franchised, or one corporation). Disagreement welcome!

Fair enough.

In a world where all we have are pixels on a screen and not the eye contact and vocal inflection to aid the communication process, mistakes in wording or perception are bound to happen.

Stuart Yaniger wrote:In'n'Out, notorious bumper stickers and all, is a single family-owned entity.

Thanks. I had to look up the bumper sticker reference, which led to whole pages of bumper sticker alterations (I'll presume to make the observation that some Californians have too much time on their hands).

Dale Williams wrote:(I'll presume to make the observation that some Californians have too much time on their hands).

They need something to do when they aren't at the shrink's office talking about their issues

Hm.

And I get called to task for being too contentious....

Tim, you have to understand that Randy has lived in France so long that he has developed a keen insight into the meaning of everything just like the rest of the natives. But I've broken bread with him before and he's really a nice guy.
Good Lord, he'll even explain why Jerry Lewis is one the greatest comedians who has ever lived.

Dale Williams wrote:(I'll presume to make the observation that some Californians have too much time on their hands).

They need something to do when they aren't at the shrink's office talking about their issues

Hm.

And I get called to task for being too contentious....

Tim, you have to understand that Randy has lived in France so long that he has developed a keen insight into the meaning of everything just like the rest of the natives. But I've broken bread with him before and he's really a nice guy.Good Lord, he'll even explain why Jerry Lewis is one the greatest comedians who has ever lived.

Yeah, Stuart, and a single-family owned entity in which all the principles have passed away including the two sons of the founder so it is in effect now owned by the 18 year old granddaughter. Or maybe she's 20 by now.

Dale--I agree. Best chain hamburger out there! And I even love the fries which almost never sit, but from time to time I have gotten them just-one-second-ago out of the fryer and that does make a substantial difference. You probably hit the place during one of the rare times when the french fryers got ahead of the burger makers.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Another great burger chain in SoCal is Tommy's World famous Hamburgers.

I recommend the double chilli burger meal....two beef patties with thick slices of onion and tomato [with or w/o cheese], mustard and smothered in their homemade chilli; thick cut fries and a medium drink...all for less than $4 bucks!